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I'm bipolar i seriously wish it wasn't real!!! It's fucking miserable and hard to maintain control. I do not use it as an excuse for certain behaviors but society does. You that think otherwise are extremely uneducated snobs.

I know far too many bi-polar people who don't take their condition seriously ENOUGH.

by Anonymous 39
on Jan. 25, 2013 at 4:02 PM

I work in mental health. Bipolar used to be a good way to get SSI, so I see a lot of people who come in saying "I have Bipolar". When I asked who diagnosed them they say my mother, my brother, boyfriend, friend, you get the idea. What symptoms do you have? I get angry and yell and/or hit people. They aren't able to identify any real symptoms. Then they often say "yes" to every question I ask. I sit there thinking, "Please at least try to be less obvious that you are faking. " And then the SSI paperwork comes before I can even get their case opened. Frustrating. I would really like to help people improve their lives..not sign people up for a SSI lifestyle. Very very frustrating.

That being said there are people who truly do fit the diagnosis of Bipolar, usually they are the ones who sincerely try to have "normal" lives and do NOT want to be labeled Bipolar. They come in saying "Dr. SoandSo diagnosed me as Bipolar but I am not, look at all I have accomplished".

The description below in bold, is not like what bipolar disorder is like.

This is a huge, huge misunderstanding about bipolar disorder. It is not about someone flitting from depression to mania every SECOND.

If a person's actual mood is changing FROM ONE SECOND TO THE NEXT, their actual MOOD IS CHANGING ***THAT*** QUICKLY, from ACTUAL MANIA to ACTUAL DEPRESSION, this is not bipolar disorder.

If a person is actually changing in mood as quickly as you describe, it is more likely to be due to something else such as substance abuse or dementia or other organic disorder.

Sudden crying or laughing is NOT something that always means bipolar disorder. In fact, that would not be the first thing that comes to mind at all.

People with mania ARE confusing. Their demeanor may change suddenly. I visited one patient right after he was admitted, he was running up and down the hospital halls, banging on doors, singing show tunes. Sure, another second he had abruptly stopped to hug someone in the hall and say very loudly and quickly he loved them, then he was running again and yelling, free the Kurds, or whatever. That person, in his entire life (well to 65, anyway), has had FOUR manic episodes.

their mood does not change every second. Again, the average is EIGHT manic episodes in one's whole lifetime. Some have more, some have less, but remember, if someone is changing mood every SECOND, something is very wrong, and it is likely not bipolar disorder.

People VERY often insist someone 'must be bipolar' if they suddenly become angry about something or seem extremely irritable or difficult. This is just a huge, huge misconception.

Such erratic behavior actually happens quite often with 'plain old' depression, with substance abuse, and with various brain disorders that affect emotions and ability to tolerate frustration.

It also happens when people are just plain old PISSED.

A friend of ours acted like that for years - she was constantly depressed and angry with her husband, who she felt was abusing drugs and lying to her about it.

For some people, seeming to 'have a temper' is just the tip of the iceberg - they're actually depressed and have chronic problems others know nothing about.

Quoting Anonymous:

I believe my mother is bipolar. She has had the classic symptoms for years but will not get treatment for it. Her mood changes from moment to moment and she is unstable.

You are saying people get SSI based on a diagnosis made by their....brother?

Who's your supervisor, and what state are you in, and what agency do you work for?

Let's trot this out into the cold light of dawn.

Quoting Anonymous:

I work in mental health. Bipolar used to be a good way to get SSI, so I see a lot of people who come in saying "I have Bipolar". When I asked who diagnosed them they say my mother, my brother, boyfriend, friend, you get the idea. What symptoms do you have? I get angry and yell and/or hit people. They aren't able to identify any real symptoms. Then they often say "yes" to every question I ask. I sit there thinking, "Please at least try to be less obvious that you are faking. " And then the SSI paperwork comes before I can even get their case opened. Frustrating. I would really like to help people improve their lives..not sign people up for a SSI lifestyle. Very very frustrating.

That being said there are people who truly do fit the diagnosis of Bipolar, usually they are the ones who sincerely try to have "normal" lives and do NOT want to be labeled Bipolar. They come in saying "Dr. SoandSo diagnosed me as Bipolar but I am not, look at all I have accomplished".

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